T H E N E W S L E T T E R O F Y O U R
EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
For Your
Information
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION
SUCCESS
According to a recent
survey, only 40
percent of those who
successfully achieved
their top New Year’s
resolution did so on
the first attempt. The
rest made multiple
tries, with 17 percent
finally succeeding
after more than six attempts.
The survey researchers recommend
these tips for resolution success:
1. Have a strong initial commitment to
make a change.
2. Have coping strategies to deal with
problems or obstacles that are sure to
come up.
3. Keep track of your progress. The more
monitoring you do and the more
feedback you get, the better you’ll do.
Don’t blame yourself if you fail, say the
researchers. Instead, look at the barriers
that were in your way. See how you can
do better the next time and figure out a
better plan to succeed.
TIPS TO RELIEVE
JOB STRESS
1. Set reasonable
standards for yourself
and others. Don’t
expect perfection.
2. Plan your work.
Tension builds when
your work seems endless. Plan your work
to use time and energy most efficiently.
3. Take a break. A change of pace, no
matter how short, can give you a new
outlook on an old problem.
WINTER 2011
IMPROVING YOUR LIFE
Depression: What
You Need To Know
■ What are the signs of depression?
■ How do men cope differently
than women?
■ What should you do if you’re depressed?
■ How can you help a family member
or friend?
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 17 million Americans
suffer from depression during any one-year period. Depression is a real illness and carries
with it a high cost in terms of personal struggle, relationship problems and family suffering.
The good news? Depression is highly treatable. Mental health experts say that up to 90%
of those with serious depression can be treated successfully, but that it is imperative they
seek care from a healthcare professional who has training and experience in helping
people recover from depression.
Tragically, about two-thirds of those suffering from depression never seek treatment, often
because they are totally unfamiliar with the condition and its symptoms. To learn more
about depression, read the information below. If you think that you or a family member may
be suffering from depression, seek professional help. The sooner you get help, the sooner
you or your loved one can begin feeling better.
What is Depression?
Everyone gets the “blues” from time to time. Feeling sad is a normal, temporary reaction to
life’s struggles and setbacks. But when you are feeling “down” for more than a few weeks,
or you have difficulty functioning in your daily life, you may be suffering from depression.
Depression is a serious medical disorder just like diabetes, high blood pressure and heart
disease are medical disorders. It is characterized by prolonged, deep feelings of sadness,
emptiness, despair or hopelessness. However, men often mask their depressed feelings
and turn to alcohol or drugs when they are depressed, or become discouraged, irritable or
angry.
Symptoms of Depression
The symptoms of depression are highly recognizable – both to those affected and to those
closest to them – once individuals know what to look for. If you experience several or more
of the symptoms below for longer than two weeks, or if the symptoms are severe enough
to interfere with your daily routine, you may be suffering from depression and should seek
professional help.
The standard symptoms of depression include:
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Tips to improve your family life p. 2; Recognizing a teen in trouble p. 3; EAP services p. 4
Depression...
RELATIONSHIPS AND FAMILY
How To Leave Job Stress At Work…
And Create A Positive Mindset To
Be A Better Partner And Parent At
Home
Continued from page 1
■
■
■
■
■
■
Persistent, sad, anxious, or “empty” mood
Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
Loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were
once enjoyable, including sex
Decreased energy, fatigue, feeling “slowed down”
Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or
making decisions
Trouble sleeping, early morning awakening,
or oversleeping
Changes in appetite and/or weight
Restlessness or irritability
Persistent physical symptoms, such as headaches,
digestive disorders, and chronic pain that do not
respond to routine treatment
Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts
Are your relationships at home strained
because you often arrive home from
work too stressed or exhausted to be a
good partner or parent? The positive
strategies below can help you leave job
stress at work and be the kind of caring
partner and parent at home that your
family needs and deserves.
■
1. Before arriving home, give
yourself a “time out.” Five or ten minutes before you walk into your
home, give yourself a much-needed time out. Stop the car a block away from
your home or close your eyes on the bus, train, or subway to find a moment
of serenity. Then take a few moments to breathe, pray, meditate, or talk
silently to yourself about the fact that the people you are about to meet in a
few minutes (your partner and/or your kids) are more important than any
client, customer, supplier, boss, or work colleague you've dealt with all day.
Even if your work-focused brain wants to take your loved ones for granted,
this is the moment when you can once again realize they are the most
important people in your life right now.
Note: Professional help should be sought immediately if a
person is experiencing suicidal thoughts. Get help from
persons or agencies specializing in crisis intervention and
suicide prevention.
2. Make a daily promise to yourself. Instead of tuning out your loved
ones or having a short fuse during family time, shift your mindset from work
mode to family life by consciously deciding to be fully “present” for your
family when you arrive home. Make a promise to yourself each day to be the
caring, interested and relaxed partner or parent your loved ones deserve,
rather than being impatient, disinterested and stressed out. Complement your
commitment to be fully present for your family by learning and practicing
healthy methods to increase relaxation, dissipate stress and lift your mood.
3. Set guidelines for positive communication. When you sit down to
talk with your partner after work, set some guidelines that will allow the two
of you to have a good check-in conversation. One helpful guideline is for the
two of you to take turns (10 to 15 minutes for each partner) sharing and
listening about each other’s day. Instead of having one person go into a 60minute monologue where the other person is struggling not to tune out or
interrupt, with this guideline both of you will have a chance to be heard and
understood each night no matter how stressful your days have been.
Especially if one of you is very talkative and the other person is the silent
type, this guideline of "ten minutes for each person so we both get a turn" is a
remarkable way to restore balance and closeness in your relationship.
Your EAP is here to help
Remember, your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) can help you with any
type of personal, family or work-related concern. If you are troubled by a
particularly difficult family or parenting issue, or need help improving your
work/life balance, you can contact a professional EAP counselor for
confidential counseling, referrals or information. We’re here to help you.
■
■
■
■
Additional Symptoms of Depression
in Men
Mental health experts say that while both women and
men can develop the standard symptoms of depression,
men often experience depression differently than
women and may have different ways of coping.
Frequently, male depression first shows up in physical
symptoms, such as headaches, digestive disorders or
sexual dysfunction. In addition to the standard
symptoms of depression listed above, other common
symptoms of depression in men can include:
■
■
■
■
Anger, lashing out, blaming
Alcohol or drug abuse
Workaholism
Reckless behavior
Recovering From Depression
Don’t believe the myth that you should be able to
“handle” depression on your own. Like any other
medical condition, depression is an illness that should
be treated by a mental health professional or physician.
People with depression cannot merely “pull themselves
together” and get better. Without treatment, symptoms
often get worse, and can last for weeks, months or
years.
There are many effective treatments for depression,
including therapy, medications and alternative
treatments. An appropriate evaluation and diagnosis
must precede any effective treatment. If you suspect
that you or a family member may be suffering from
depression, follow these guidelines:
1. See your regular physician. The first step is to see
your regular physician and explain the symptoms you
have been experiencing. Sometimes an actual physical
illness can cause depression-like symptoms, so that is
why it is best to see your doctor first.
Continued on page 3
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Depression...
Continued from page 2
2. Seek the care of a licensed mental health
professional. See a licensed mental health
professional – with training and experience
in helping people recover from depression –
for further evaluation and treatment. Mental
health professionals include psychiatrists,
psychologists, counselors and social
workers. Psychiatrists can prescribe antidepressant drugs because they are
physicians. Mental health professionals,
who are not physicians, can provide therapy
and often work with psychiatrists and family
physicians to ensure that their patients
receive the medications they may need.
3. Follow your treatment plan. Up to 90% of
people with serious depression can be
treated successfully with “talk” therapy,
antidepressant medications, alternative
treatments, or a combination of these.
Successful treatment removes all of the
symptoms of depression and returns you to
your normal life.
A word about therapy: Effective treatment
for depression often includes some form of
therapy. A helpful approach to therapy
involves viewing your therapist as your
“coach.” A skilled therapist can help you:
■ Pinpoint the life problems that contribute
to your depression and help you
understand which aspects of those
problems you may be able to solve or
improve.
■ Identify negative or distorted thinking
patterns, or other learned thoughts and
behaviors that contribute to your
depression.
■ Learn new approaches and skills to
How To Recognize A
Teenager In Trouble
Every teenager goes through ups and downs
during their adolescent years, but certain
behaviors may indicate your teen is in trouble and
in need of your help. The warning signs below can
help you differentiate between what is normal teen
behavior, and what may indicate drug/alcohol
abuse, depression or other problems:
Warning Signs
❚ A change in friends. Suddenly abandoning
old friends for new peers who you know nothing
about or who are unacceptable to you. Also,
significant loss of interest in any activities outside
of time spent with their “friends.”
❚ Sudden drop in school performance. A
child who has previously performed well in school
is suddenly losing interest in school and grades are plummeting.
❚ Extreme mood swings or changes in behavior. Mood swings are common
during adolescence because of the fluctuating hormones of puberty. But, if your child
is going from being deeply depressed to extremely happy, you need to figure out what
is going on. Other examples: unreasonable fits of anger, very defiant and disrespectful,
exhibits hostility toward family members, very withdrawn and barely communicative,
wants to be left alone all of the time, radical changes in eating or sleeping patterns.
❚ Keeping secrets or lying. Is your teen telling lies about significant things like
where they’ve been or who they were with? Are they lying about their grades, getting
in trouble in school, cutting classes, disappearing for long periods of time without an
explanation?
❚ Depression. Is your child unusually quiet or sad? Have they been more
withdrawn than usual? Have they changed their relationships with friends, their
lifestyle, their eating or sleeping habits, or cleanliness? These are just some of the
indicators that beg you to talk to your child and make sure that everything is okay.
What to Do
There are numerous other warning signs of a teenager in trouble. If you have
noticed major physical, emotional, social and school changes in your teenager, it is
important that you take action right away, before the problems get worse and the
consequences for your child grow greater. If you need help, contact your Employee
Assistance Program (EAP) for professional counseling, referrals or information.
Note: Professional help should be sought immediately if a person is experiencing suicidal thoughts. Get
help from persons or agencies specializing in crisis intervention and suicide prevention.
help you regain a sense of control
and pleasure in life and stay healthy.
A word about antidepressant
medications: Medication can help
relieve the symptoms of depression in
some people, but they aren’t a cure and
they come with drawbacks of their own.
Learning the facts about antidepressants
and weighing the benefits against the risks
can help you make an informed decision
about whether medication is right for you.
How to Help a Family Member or
Friend
The support and involvement of family and
friends can play a crucial role in helping
someone who is depressed. Follow these
guidelines to help a family member or friend:
■ The most important thing anyone can do
for a depressed person is help them get
an appropriate diagnosis and treatment.
Once a treatment program is prescribed,
helping may involve monitoring whether
Continued on page 4
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Depression...
Continued from page 3
the depressed person is taking their
prescribed medication, or encouraging
them to stay with treatment until symptoms
begin to abate (several weeks).
■ The second most important thing is to
offer emotional support. This involves
understanding, patience and encouragement. Do not accuse the depressed
person of faking illness or laziness or
expect him or her to “snap out of it.”
Eventually, with treatment, most
depressed people do get better. Keep
this in mind, and keep reassuring the
depressed person that with time and
help, he or she will feel better.
Contact Your EAP For Help
If you suspect that you or a family member
may be suffering from depression, your
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) can
help you with confidential counseling,
referrals or information. EAP counselors
are specially trained to help people get the
right kind of help for depression. If you
need help, why not call a professional EAP
counselor today? We’re here to help you.
Stairways
Behavioral Health’s
New Opportunities
Employee Assistance
Program
Please call for free,
confidential assistance
(814) 456-0584
1-800-321-7988
The information in this newsletter is for the purpose of information only and is not meant to
replace consultation with your
EAP professional, mental health
professional or physician. Your
EAP is a benefit provided for
you by your company. We
encourage you to call. No issue
is too big or small.
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Stairways
Behavioral Health’s
New Opportunities Employee Assistance Program, Erie, PA
As normal healthy adults, we all experience set-backs and difficulties
from time to time. Most often, we are able to recover from them and
resolve our problems ourselves. Sometimes professional assistance
can help when problems have grown too complicated to manage alone
and begin to affect our happiness, relationships, health and job performance. During these times, an employee assistance program can be
very helpful.
As one of your employee benefits, you and your family can take advantage of free, professional and confidential help through Stairways’
Employee Assistance Program (EAP). New Opportunities EAP is staffed
with trained counselors dedicated to help with any type of personal
problem including:
• Job-related problems
• Workplace conflicts
• Marital/Family issues
• Parenting issues
• Emotional problems such as stress, grief, anxiety and depression
• Crisis situations
• Alcohol and other drug abuse
• Eldercare issues
• Communication and interpersonal problems
You and your immediate family members are eligible to use this EAP
service free of charge. Just call New Opportunities at (814) 456-0584
or toll-free at 1-800-321-7988 to make an appointment.
Appointments can be arranged to fit your schedule including evenings
and weekends.
Remember, anything discussed with the counselor is strictly confidential. Information will not be released to your employer, family or anyone
else unless you want it shared and sign a written consent form.
New Opportunities EAP provides an initial assessment of your situation
and short term counseling as needed. Our counselors can also give you
referrals to appropriate community resources. Contact New
Opportunities EAP today to schedule an appointment.
WE ARE THERE FOR YOU WHEN YOU NEED US!
Healthy Exchange is published quarterly by Jenican Communications, 19 Gatewood Dr., Aliso Viejo, CA 92656, (949) 360-1508. Copyright © 2011 Jenican Communications. All rights
reserved. This newsletter is not intended to provide medical advice on personal wellness matters, which should be obtained directly from your physician.
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